Working with Craig designing my George Nakishima inspired black walnut desk was akin to a meditative journey with a zen master. Craig lead me through from concept design through completion with the skills of a master craftsman and patience of a saint. Craig was able to turn my nebulous idea into a piece of art. He kept me informed and involved every step of the way. And, the project was finished as originally budgeted. I can only hope that the work that I get done on my desk is as inspired as the desk! It will be a family heirloom for many years to come.

— Louise M. Segreto (Client)

This commissioned piece arose out of the client's desire for a desk made by a local artisan, an appreciation for the natural-edge work of George Nakashima, and the flexibility to take the idea in a slightly different direction. All the wood for this piece came from a single Nebraska tree which had likely been planted as part of the "Shelterbelt Project" by Works Progress Administration or Civilian Conservation Corps workers during the Great Depression of the 1930s. This quest to control the drought-stricken prairie exemplified our ongoing struggle to find a balance between allowing nature to be what it is, and controlling it to suit our needs.

I sought to capture this spirit by juxtaposing the natural flaws and flowing grain lines in the wood with the circular arcs and straight lines of the more refined surfaces and edges. The strength of the rigid geometry in the stand with its concave and convex ends finds itself yielding to the naturally tapering lines of grain in the book matched black walnut planks.